Game Review: Spy Bros. (Pipi & Bibi's DX)

By Manuel

Players: 1-4
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

I've been looking at a lot of great titles put out by publisher RAWRLAB Games recently, and we have yet another today. Spy Bros. is a remake of a classic arcade game known as Pipi's & Bibi's, and it's out now for the Nintendo Switch. It's arcade tough through and through, with more than a little quirky humor to go around as well. Is this retro classic worth picking up? How kind have the decades been to its gameplay? What exactly is a Pipi or a Bibi's? We'll hopefully answer all those questions and more in this review! Let's dive in!

Spy Bros. is a really strange game that doesn't have a lot of story to it. While I don't think there's any plot worth discussing at length, its history is rather interesting. As mentioned earlier, it's a remake of an arcade game known as either Pipi & Bibi's or Whooppee!! depending on what part of the world you're from. The premise of all versions of the game is simple: two spies enter a series of buildings, and set up bombs to blow up said buildings. They use elevators and other means of transportation to get around, and have a ray gun type weapon to keep enemies at bay. Enemies can be attacked, and even temporarily killed, but they will stay in the action no matter what until the current stage is cleared. After all the bombs are set, the spies have to flee the building before it blows up. Failing to leave in time means you die, and you have to complete the current stage from the start. There are 4 areas in each building, and a total of six buildings to destroy. A bonus level opens up to you if you get all the H Coins in any one building, and these seem to be an addition of the remake only. Clearing each stage slowly unlocks an image of the spies going about their nonsense, but the images you got in the original game were far different. The original Japanese version is classified as an eroge, as your prize for completing levels were illustrations of naked women. None of that is in this version of the game, but I think we can all agree that it's for the best. Now that we have that intro out of the way, let's look at gameplay in more detail.

The action in Spy Bros. all takes place on a single screen, and you can play all of the stages solo or with a friend. Clearing the entire game one time unlocks the "Spy Sis" mode, which introduces two female playable characters. Beating that mode unlocks a four player versus mode that I unfortunately wasn't able to try out for this review on account of not having two extra friends around. We'll get to discussing multiplayer in just a bit, but let's talk about those bombs the Spy Bros. seem so determined to place everywhere. Setting bombs in each area requires going to various computer terminals placed throughout the stages. This might sound simple and obvious, but many terminals are placed in areas that can only be accessed in a very specific way. That means you'll have to plan out your route, while also keeping in mind that you have to reach the exit before the bombs blow up. It only takes one hit to take you out, but you respawn instantly as long as it's not the bombs that did you in. You have three lives at the start of each game, as well as unlimited continues. Not only do the lives spawn you back in quickly, but the continues do too. It's a very fair system, but there's still plenty of challenge to be had in spite of all the leeway given.

Due to the nature of your spy's attack, taking out enemies can be very difficult. Even though your ray gun shoots forward decently far in a Dig Dug-like way, you can only attack a single enemy at a time. Hitting an enemy once only stuns them, while holding the attack button down for several seconds drops them to the level below the one you're currently on. If you drop them through the floor, they die. Don't get too excited though, as they'll respawn after a few more seconds from the same door they came from in the first place. Enemies move freely and randomly, with some of them being particularly persistent as far as chasing you down goes. This means some areas can quickly flood with enemies if you mistakenly corral them with your attacks or movements. Essentially, you'll want to space them out as much as possible by drawing their attention to areas where you can more easily deal with them. The very specific nature of traversing a stage through the stairs and elevators, as well as the constantly active enemies, means that this game can be frustratingly hard at times if you're going it solo. It's worth remembering that even the hardest of stages can eventually be beaten through sheer perseverance, if for no other reason than the generous lives and continues the game gives you.

There really is no sugarcoating it, Spy Bros. is not an easy game. It's tough-as-nails, it can try your patience, but it can also be very fun. If you're a sucker for classic arcade action, then you're going to right at home here. I have no experience at all with the original game, but I do love arcade style games like this. With no real frame of reference to the original game, I was reminded of other arcade classics like Elevator Action, Donkey Kong, and Dig Dug. I even got some Hotel Mario vibes here and there. It's extremely challenging at all times, but in a way that never feels cheap. There's always hope you can beat the next challenge, and indeed you can if you know what you're doing. I already mentioned just riding out the challenges through the infinite continues, but If you still find the game too difficult, you can of course recruit a friend to help out. Not only is the insanity ramped up when there are two players simultaneously on the screen, but the game does get significantly easier since you have a partner who you can split tasks with. One of you can focus on the enemies, while the other goes for the terminals. That four-player versus mode is a totally different story of course, but we'll leave that for another day. Difficulty aside, the game does offer a lot of variety too. Each building feels unique despite them all having essentially the same goals, and the changing enemies that are themed to the current set of stages is a nice touch too. It almost feels like six smaller games crammed together, with the bonus stages just being the icing on the cake.

It shouldn't come as any surprise that the visuals in Spy Bros. lean towards the retro side, but they manage to look modern while still paying homage to the arcade original. The game is presented in a full screen format, complete with a bezel you can change in the options menu. There are no screen stretch options in-game (Which I think is a good thing!), but you can smooth out the pixel graphics if you so desire, as well as add a CRT filter. I for one like the original look, but it's nice for the options to be there. I already mentioned there are no nude pictures in this version of the game, but you do get some funny illustrations that reveal themselves as you complete stages. These aren't anything too exciting, but they do give the game a bit of character it wouldn't have otherwise. Outside of all that, enemy and character designs all look great, and the game has a distinct cartoon-y vibe that opens it up to gamers of all tastes. When combined with the soundtrack that also scratches that nostalgic itch, Spy Bros' comes off looking like a long lost arcade game. This is a remake done in the best way possible, and I loved every second of it.

Seeing as this is an arcade-style game, replayability is really going to be determined by how much you like the core gameplay loop. Spy Bros. is simple and fun, but there's enough depth to keep you coming back for more. High scores are a thing, and there really is no way to describe how fun the multiplayer is without trying it out for yourself. I found it to be so much fun that I added it to my game night rotation. I do have to say that part of me wishes the entire game was open from the start, and didn't require beating the game to be unlocked. I'm willing to bet that a large percentage of players won't ever discover the Spy Sis mode or the four-player versus mode simply because the main game is too difficult. That small gripe aside, I have no real complaints. It's even perfectly priced at just $7.99. Hell, I would've even dropped an even ten on this one!

Though it might be a bit on the difficult side for casual players, I still give Spy Bros. a full recommendation. It's a treat for fans of retro arcade games, and it's accessible enough to entice those just looking for a fun game in general. The multiplayer adds another layer to everything, and it seals the deal even if you never get to unlock its full potential. This is one of my favorite arcade remakes I've ever played, and I'm starting to realize that I love most of what RAWRLAB Games puts out. Hopefully there's more like this coming down the pipeline. Anyway, pick this one up today, and thank me later. See you in the next one!

Check Out Spy Bros. (Pipi & Bibi's DX) on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/spy-bros-switch/

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Story: N/A
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: A
Value: A

Overall: A

Pros:
+ A fun take on an otherwise forgotten arcade classic.
+ Not only are the base graphics amazing, but you can tweak them if you want a more modern, or even more retro, look.
+ The soundtrack isn't exactly the most robust, but it's great for what it is. There isn't a bad track in the bunch.
+ Fun as a solo adventure, but a real treat when played with a friend.
+ Includes new bonus levels, a new "Spy Sis" mode, and even a four-player versus mode.

Cons:
- Can be extremely challenging at times, though the unlimited continues do take the edge off a bit.
- This is a very simple game all things considered.
- Even though I don't mind them being excluded, there might be some fans who might not appreciate the removal of the original's eroge elements.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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That look on his face is priceless!

#SpyBros